endbringer, meet gun

[peterxy]

...Very unseasonable rains can be seen in the distance from the shores of Acapulco.

The Brockton Bay Protectorate starts organizing volunteers to be transported or teletransported in batches to it. Heroes, rogues, villains, anyone's assistance is appreciated. A rendez-vous point is set for non-Protectorate capes wishing to volunteer, and Protectorate capes are informed of the situation via communication devices.

Comments

[thinkering]

"Gotcha. So. What I actually meant was, I have this secondary power which won't let powers that mess with people's heads mess with mine. Since your power is basically solid illusions it would have been not outside the realm of possibility for me to either not see the effects, or to see only the effects that were not, themselves, things you were creating. But apparently it's real enough that I'm not noping it. There remains the question of whether your power takes me into account at all or if, for its purposes, I am not even here until I say something the wrong way and throw off your game."

[mxglam]

"...well, there's an easy way to test it. Can you, like, not believe this Rubik's cube is here?"

There is a Rubik's cube in their right hand.

[thinkering]

Lorica squints at it. Not a real cube. Did they even bother to have the faces in the right orientations? It probably doesn't even have those internal mechanics, to the extent it's there, which it's not.

[mxglam]

The cube is not there anymore.

But... "Okay, now try, say, this." They're now holding a magic 8 ball. But they extend their arm away from her. "No squinting, though. Just try to believe in the abstract that it doesn't exist. Might be better if you don't even look at it."

[thinkering]

"All right..."

[mxglam]

The magic 8 ball...

...continues to exist.

"Are you doing it?"

[thinkering]

"Yes, to the extent that I can disbelieve things on purpose at all, which is limited."

[mxglam]

"Okay. Now let's try this." No magic 8 ball in their hand. "My hand is empty. Can you focus on that fact? Like, keep expecting it to be empty or something."

[thinkering]

"Sure."

[mxglam]

And now there's a slice of cake there.

"...okay, I guess for all intents and purposes your mind is not there to my power."

[thinkering]

"That's reassuring."

[mxglam]

"Not to me it isn't."

[thinkering]

"Why? I can't make things you make go away. I can't help, either, but that wasn't such a huge drawback that you noticed it back in Acapulco."

[mxglam]

They shrug. "I suppose. Though it's not exactly the most invasive of powers, as far as mental powers go."

[thinkering]

"I know, but I don't want to have any gaps at all."

[mxglam]

"It's really not much of a gap though. I mean, granted, it could be indicative of the efficacy of other similarly-small-but-otherwise-objectionable powers against you."

[thinkering]

"I want my mind to be an impregnable fortress, not a fortress with a couple secret passages."

[mxglam]

"That's an interesting preference, and it's also pretty interesting that you got a power that suits it so well."

[thinkering]

"Yes, well, we might not be having this conversation if it didn't work real well."

[mxglam]

"...would you answer if I asked?"

[thinkering]

"I might. It's kind of a personal question, but I do have ultimate blackmail."

[mxglam]

They wince. "When you put it like that it makes me really question the wisdom of telling you about it."

[thinkering]

"I had it mostly figured out. And I do want to help you. I wouldn't usually answer the question you're proposing asking me."

[mxglam]

"I... won't actually ask. If you want to tell me I'll listen, but you're right it's a very personal question so I don't think it's- okay of me to ask, like that. Even if you have ultimate blackmail."

[thinkering]

"Up to you."